For nearly two centuries this garden,
which is the largest and oldest of this kind in South East Asia
has been a premier Institution for botanical and horticultural
research in India. The great aesthetic beauty of this garden with
its picturesque vistas, and vast greeneries serve as a source of
inspiration, education, research and recreation to millions of
visitors to this garden throughout the year from India and abroad.
Established in 1787 by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kyd, this garden is situated
on the west bank of the river Hooghly (Ganga). The garden covers an area of 273
acres. Its unique landscape design initiated by Sir George King in 1872 is considered
to be one of the best in the botanic gardens of the world with undulated land
surfaces, artificial lakes and moats interconnected with underground pipes receiving
water from the river Hooghly.
The garden was known as East India
Company’s Garden or the ‘Company Bagan’ or
Calcutta Garden and later as the Royal Botanic Garden which
after independence was renamed as the ‘INDIAN BOTANIC
GARDEN’ in 1950.It came under the management of
the Botanical Survey of India on January 1, 1963.
Over 12,000 trees and shrubs belonging to 1400 species together with thousands
of herbaceous plants are in cultivation in the open in 25 Divisions, Glass houses,
Green Houses and conservatories. The garden maintains the germplasm collection
of Bamboos, Bougainvillea, Citrus, Jasmine, Pandanus, Water Lilies and has the
richest collection of Palms (about 109 species) in whole of South East Asia.
In addition succulents, Hibiscus, Ficus, Aromatic plants, Gymno- sperms
(in two Pinetums), Creepers, Ferns and a number of floricultural and
arboricultural plants are grown in its Flower Garden, National Orchidarium,
Student Garden. Besides a large number of medicinal plants in its Medicinal
Plant Garden named as ‘Charak Udyan’ enrich
the garden.
A few interesting plants of the garden worth to mention are Branched Palm, Bread
Fruit Tree, Double Coconut, Giant Water Lilies, Krishnabot , Mad tree, Shivalinga
tree, etc. In addition researches are also conducted on plant introduction, multiplication,
horticultural aspects and conservation.
The Great Banyan Tree (Ficus bengalensis L.) of the Indian
Botanic Garden attracts millions of visitors every year. It looks
like a miniature forest and is over 250 years old with 2800 prop
roots covering an area of 1.5 hectares. The large palm house of
this garden has several interesting plants including the Double
Coconut [Lodoicea maldivica (Gmel.) Pers] which produces the largest
known seeds in the whole plant kingdom.
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Joint Director,
BSI, IBG, P. O. Botanic Garden, Howrah – 711 103;
Fax: (033)
2668 5096; Phone: 2668 0554, 2668 9970 (Curator),
26681466 (IBG
Office);
E-mail: girijashankar[at]vsnl dot net
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